


I Want Your Stupid Love

by runicmagitek



Series: Aerti Week 2020 [5]
Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)
Genre: Accidental First Date, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff and Humor, Mid-Canon, Missing Scene, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:20:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26645137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/runicmagitek/pseuds/runicmagitek
Summary: “We should still be careful, though. Sephiroth might be around.”“Well then.” Aerith skipped over and looped an arm around Tifa’s. “Good thingyouknow how to pack a punch!”The gang makes it to the Gold Saucer and parts ways to look for Sephiroth. Yup. That'sexactlywhat Aerith and Tifa are doing. And not messing around in the arcade or fawning over each other.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart
Series: Aerti Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1932154
Comments: 6
Kudos: 98





	I Want Your Stupid Love

**Author's Note:**

> Day 5 - soft focus | tropes and cliches | distance | _morii_ : the desire to capture a fleeting moment

“Oh, _wow!_ Look at all of this!”

Aerith jogged to the center of the room and spun in place. More doorways than she had fingers to count enticed her, each with gaudy signs indicating the destination. She grinned, clutched fists to her chest, and bounced. The closest she came to entertainment was the Wallmarket back at Sector 5, which now paled in the presence of the Gold Saucer.

“Where should we go first?” Aerith contemplated as the rest of the team shuffled in. “Maybe the gondola? Oooh! The chocobo races! Or there’s also—”

“This isn’t a vacation,” Cloud said, blunt as ever. “We’re here to find Sephiroth.”

“Who said we can’t have some fun along the way? Besides, do you _really_ think we’re going to find Sephiroth betting on chocobos?”

Cloud shrugged. “It’s the only lead we got.”

Aerith sighed and shook her head. “Yeah, yeah. I know.”

Turning to the rest of the party, Aerith’s excitement deflated upon seeing their faces. Not a single smile greeted her. Barret remained prickly since the encounters at Corel—and rightfully so. If Red knew how to smile, she doubted it mimicked the human equivalent. Yuffie was nowhere to be seen, perhaps slipping into one of the many passageways before the conversation began.

That left Tifa.

And like Aerith needed a reason to gaze at her.

She stood in the sweep distance, her eyes melding into kaleidoscopes under the colorful lights and flashy displays. Aerith swore she smiled briefly; she tried not to melt over that sweet image.

“What do you think?” Aerith asked.

Tifa fluttered her eyes and looked to her. “Um… I’m not sure. This is _a lot_ fancier than anything I’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t know where to begin.”

Barret scoffed. “You can start with finding a way off this golden stick! The sooner we leave, the better.”

“But we just got here,” Aerith teased, approaching him with her hands clasped behind her back. “You’re no fun.”

“I’m not here to _have_ fun!” Barret flailed his arms for emphasis. “None of us are! Hell, for once I’m agreeing with the spiky merc over here.” He jerked a thumb at Cloud. “Have all the damn fun you want.”

With that, he stormed towards one of the passages and disappeared. Aerith quirked her lips and huffed. “So much for that. Well, guess that means more fun for us!” She pivoted on her heel. “Hey, Cloud—”

“Not interested,” he said, back facing her as he headed for a separate passage. Red lingered behind, perhaps keen to offer his sharp scent in their search for Sephiroth.

Aerith slumped slightly. Why did everyone have to be so serious all the time? They were sure to burn out if they continued at the vigorous pace they maintained. A little rest wouldn’t hurt, right? And how often did anyone make a trip to the Gold Saucer?

“That… could’ve been better.”

Perking up to Tifa’s voice, Aerith chuckled. “Maybe, but no use dwelling on it. Best to act normal with these things.”

Tifa tilted her head. “You think so?”

“Of course!”

Tifa’s eyes fell to the ground as she rolled her hands over one another. “We should still be careful, though. Sephiroth might be around.”

“Well then.” Aerith skipped over and looped an arm around Tifa’s. “Good thing _you_ know how to pack a punch!”

Her eyes widened, but she didn’t jerk away. Aerith considered that a win.

“Come on!” She tugged Tifa along. “Let’s enjoy ourselves!”

Tifa parted her lips multiple times, only uttering half-formed sounds. With an immense exhale, she flashed a nervous smile and said, “What did you have in mind?”

* * *

An hour flew by without them even trying. Aerith hoped to check out the chocobo races and the theater, but the arcade lured them with its fancy technology and elusive prizes. Amidst the cacophony of digital sound effects, Aerith squealed and pointed at every other spectacle they crossed. Who knew there were endless types of games to play! Some for a chance to claim the best score, others for tickets to spend at the prize booth, but all meant for fun. Aerith wanted to try them all, but barely made a dent.

“Ugh, I’m not good at this,” Aerith groaned as the basketball game played sad bleeps and bloops for not scoring enough in a minute. “Maybe I should stick to the moogle game.”

Tifa cracked a smile while she leaned against the machine, arms crossed and hips cocked. “You really liked that one.”

“It was so cute! I would’ve replayed it if I had the money.” She bounced over to Tifa’s side, swaying on her feet. “What about you? What was _your_ favorite?”

Not that Tifa engaged in many of the arcade games. She hung back as Aerith dove into them and cheered for her in the few victories Aerith claimed. Several hooked her—those demanding feats of strength, like the punching dummy or the high striker. And if Tifa’s name at the top of each best score didn’t prove her worth, then the impressive trail of tickets looped around her arm did.

“I liked that dancing one,” Tifa said, “even though I wasn’t very good at it.”

“What are you talking about?! You did great!”

Tifa averted her gaze and fussed with a lock of hair that fell from behind her ear. Aerith resisted the urge to reach out and help, just to brush her cheek and savor the smooth skin there, even for a moment. Instead, she clasped her hands and ignored how her heart gained momentum as a decadent chill raced up her spine.

“So,” Aerith drew out, “what’s next?”

Tifa returned her eyes to Aerith. “Um… maybe we should meet up with the others? See if they found anything? Or bare minimum check on Barret.”

“But we were just getting started!”

“I know, but….”

“And you need to claim all your tickets! I’m sure you can get the biggest plushie with that many.”

“Even if I could, I’m not sure I’d want to haul it around outside of here.”

“That’s fair, but you’ve got to get something! Think of it as a souvenir.”

The way Tifa chewed her lower lip, the way her thick lashes caught in the neon lights, the way she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, the way her eyes lit up like rubies whenever she looked at Aerith, like no one else was there except _her_.

Aerith held her breath. She always did.

“Okay,” Tifa finally said, “let’s check out the prizes, then one more game.”

Aerith grinned and exhaled. “It’s a deal! Come on!”

She extended a hand and internally squealed when Tifa accepted with her own. It wasn’t the first time they clung to one another or spent time away from the boys—or kids, in Yuffie’s case—but every touch, simple as they were, fueled Aerith’s soul to skyrocket into the stars. Since they teamed up in Corneo’s mansion, Aerith looked upon Tifa with nothing but awe and admiration.

Honestly, who _didn_ _’t_? That smile, those _arms_ —and legs and abs and just _muscles_ —that kindness underneath the tough exterior, the laughter, the dimples, and those eyes…. Aerith yearned to stare in that ruby-like gaze until the world ended. And somehow, despite having countless people gawk in her direction no matter where they went, Tifa remained oblivious. Or humbled, at best. Even while holding Aerith’s hand as they approached the prize counter.

When they inevitably let go, Aerith rode out that high until it exhausted her. Did Tifa feel it, too, she wondered? Maybe a little bit?

“Hmmm.” Tifa leaned into the glass display case and perched her cheek on a loose fist. “Nothing’s grabbing me.”

“What about a t-shirt?” Aerith pointed to the selection of Gold Saucer branded shirts. “It’s functional!”

“Yeah, not really my style. It’s a bit…”

“Too much?”

“ _Yeah._ ”

“Alright, um… oh! Look at the jewelry!”

“It’s just plastic costume stuff.”

“But it’s cute!”

Tifa sighed and Aerith frowned. After a moment, Tifa rubbed the back of her neck and stood straighter.

“Um… would _you_ want anything?” she asked.

Aerith fluttered her eyes. Did she hear that correctly? Tifa wanted to use all her hard-earned tickets… for _her_?

“Are you sure?” Aerith asked, barely containing her excitement.

“Of course.”

“But… they’re your tickets—”

“And they’re going to go to waste otherwise. And you really like it here.” That soft smile of hers emerged. “I’d love to get you something.”

Even if Aerith wanted to shriek with delight, she doubted it would overpower the wall of sound that was the arcade.

“Aerith?” Tifa tilted her head. “Which one did you want?”

“Ah, right!” _How long have I been standing there just staring?_ “Um, let’s see….” She scanned the options, though already knew what she wanted. “That one.”

Tifa chuckled. “Why am I not surprised?”

She exchanged the tickets to the bored-looking teenager behind the counter. They used a stick to free the pink moogle plushie from its high shelf and placed it on the counter.

“Here you go,” they droned out. “Thanks for visiting the Gold Saucer.”

Aerith carefully wrapped her arms around her prize. So soft, so fluffy. She nuzzled her face into the fur and giggled. It was possibly the nicest thing she owned.

Peeking up over the moogle’s head, Aerith looked to Tifa. “Thank you.”

“Hey, don’t mention it.” Tifa turned away from the counter with Aerith. “I’m just glad you like it.”

“I love it! Now I need to think of a name for her.”

“A name?”

“All plushies deserve a name.”

“Can’t argue with that.”

“Well, that’s one task completed. Now to look for our final game—”

“Oh!”

Aerith followed Tifa’s gaze. Along the outskirts of the arcade were several booths. Video screens played a slide show of pictures, all people cramped in tight quarters and making silly faces. Aerith furrowed her brow. Was it even a game? She envisioned something more… engaging. Like that whack-a-mog game or the chocobo racing simulator.

But Tifa’s eyes lit up, brighter than all the neon in the arcade. “It’s a photo booth.”

“A what?”

“I used to read about these. I had a friend who went to a wedding in Junon and they had a photo booth for guests, along with some props and costume pieces. She showed me the pictures she brought back.” A gentle sigh graced Tifa’s soft lips. “I always wanted to use one. The few I saw in Midgar were either broken or _way_ too expensive.” Her head dropped. “Even if that wasn’t the case, I never had anyone to try them out with.”

“Well?” Aerith ducked in to catch her eyes. “What are you waiting for?”

Before Tifa could reply, Aerith ran to an available booth and beckoned for her. Tifa’s smile widened as she jogged over to join her.

Pulling back the curtain, Aerith entered the booth, amazed by the sleek metal and vibrant monitor. Adorable animations of moogles and chocobos instructed how to use the photo booth, along with recommendations for poses. Aerith’s eyes widened and her pulse accelerated. Pictures with Tifa. Something to cherish beyond the Gold Saucer.

“Oh, this is amazing!” Tifa said upon slipping inside. “Look at all of this!”

“And your friend used one at a _wedding_?”

“I guess if you have gil to spend, might as well go big.”

“Wow… I think I’d rent out the whole Gold Saucer for a day!”

“I’m not sure what I’d do.”

Aerith nudged her. “Maybe something with Costa del Sol? The whole beach to yourself?”

Tifa squirmed in place. “I _do_ wish we’d stayed longer to enjoy some of it, even if it was crawling in tourists.”

“You _were_ eyeing that one bathing suit on display.”

“You noticed?!”

Aerith snickered. “Hard not to! For what it’s worth, I liked the one next to it.”

Tifa tilted her head and smiled. “Red’s always looked good on you.”

Silence lingered between them, save for the occasional digitized voices from the monitor. The harsh light of the display splashed endless colors across Tifa’s features. Whether or not she blushed, like Aerith, was unknown.

“So.” Tifa turned to the monitor, briefly licking her lips. “Let’s see….”

Aerith scooted closer and placed her newly acquired plushie beside her. “It looks like we need to pick a theme.”

“Yeah, a background and some special effects.” Tifa poked the monitor to cycle through the option. “Um… do you have a preference?”

“Nope! I trust whatever you want. You’re the one who had the photo booth dream, after all.”

Tifa breathed out a chuckle. “Thanks.” She flipped through more options, humming occasionally. “Here, let’s do this.”

She selected a sandy shore at sunset. Purples and pinks painted the sky while silhouettes of birds flew over the ocean. Stylish white font nestled in the corner: _Wish you were here!_

“Not exactly Costa del Sol,” Tifa said, “but it’s the thought that counts, right?”

Aerith tugged her lower lip. “Works for me.”

“Hmm, looks like we pick special effects after we take the pictures.” Tifa grabbed spare change from her belt pouch to feed into the machine. “Any ideas for poses? We got four takes.”

“How about… something glamorous?” She struck a dramatic pose. “Like we’re celebrities on vacation!”

Tifa giggled. “I can work with that.”

“Definitely a silly face picture.”

“Naturally.”

“What about something more action-y. You know.” Aerith pummeled the air with made-up sound effects—the worst impression of Tifa ever. “Be like you!”

At least she laughed at that. “Alright! But only if we do one like… um….” Tifa placed a hand on her hip, stuck out her tongue, and winked.”

Aerith blinked. “Was that supposed to be _me_?!”

“I don’t know! I was trying!”

Aerith snorted amidst her amusement.

“You’re just all—” Tifa gestured at her while grasping the words. “—sassy and care-free!”

“Okay. Uh-huh.” She winked and stuck out her tongue. “ _Sure_!”

Tifa shook her head, albeit with a smirk. “Does that work, though?”

“Of course! Ready whenever you are.”

“Alright. Fabulous celebrities first. And here… we….” Tifa pressed the start button. “Go!”

The monitor shifted to a live feed of them in the booth. They gasped and giggled with excitement while scurrying to perfect their poses. An animated moogle counted down the seconds in a corner. Tifa swept her hair over her shoulder and blew a kiss at the camera. Such a demure gaze…. Aerith forgot where they were for but a moment.

She had her poses planned before Tifa started the machine, yet they crumbled as she watched Tifa, utterly oblivious to the influence she had on anyone around her.

Especially Aerith.

And they sat in a cramped booth, hips and shoulders touching. Just like linking hands or arms, eager to traverse the world together. So close, yet a million miles away. Aerith hated that distance between them. All she ever wanted was in reach, yet forever slipped through her fingers. They had grander matters to focus on. What was the point of basking in fantasies when the world’s fate was on the line?

Maybe their efforts weren’t enough. Maybe the world _would_ end. If so, wasn’t it better to remember the slivers of happiness in life? To cherish each moment as if it were their last?

Four moments. That’s all they had. Then back to combing the world for Sephiroth.

Aerith inhaled deeply. He could damn well _wait_.

Two seconds remained when Aerith eased into Tifa, hooked fingers under her chin, turned her face ever-so-slightly, and placed a gentle kiss upon her cheek.

Light flashed in the booth. The moogle flailed fans and cheered before restarting the countdown for the next photo. Tifa had yet to move from her initial pose. So had Aerith.

Another flash blinded them by the time Tifa turned to face Aerith. For all her boldness, Aerith shrunk as those wide eyes locked with hers. _This is it,_ she mused while swallowing hard. _I messed up. Might as well walk back to Midgar and forget any of this happened_

“Tifa? I—”

More light. She winced as speckles danced in her vision. She didn’t see Tifa in that whiteness. Then again, Aerith didn’t need to. Not when tender hands cupped her face and soft lips crushed against her own.

Her breath hitched. Her heart bounced between her stomach and her throat. Goosebumps flooded her skin and a mixture of ice and electricity lived her bones.

And a pleasant heat burned between their lips.

Aerith closed her eyes, flung her arms around Tifa’s neck, and dared to suffocate herself with decadent kisses.

She cooed for the desperate motions passing over their lips, their tongues, their teeth. She threaded her fingers through lush, dark hair she longed to touch since the beginning. She rocked her body, overjoyed to rub against the lean form she admired from afar—looking _respectfully_ , of course.

And Tifa reciprocated in kind. _Far_ too kind. A delightful fervor, possibly even insatiable. Aerith was keen to find out.

But the monitor flashed again and a gang of chocobos thanked them for their visit and shrieking children ran outside the booth and one of their PHS devices vibrated. They broke off the kiss, both breathless and unable to pry away from one another.

“I think that’s mine,” Tifa murmured.

“Probably one of the boys?”

“Yeah. Maybe.”

The PHS still vibrated. Neither moved an inch.

Aerith licked her lips, now rubbed raw. “Tifa, I—”

“I’ve been… wanting to do that.” She rested her forehead against Aerith’s. “For a while.”

She couldn’t help but smirk. “That makes two of us.” She paused, then, “Since when?”

Tifa stirred. “Um… since Corneo’s mansion, actually.”

“Mmm.” Aerith tightened her hold around Tifa’s neck and kissed the tip of her nose. “Should’ve kissed me, then.”

“Think so?”

“Know so.”

Aerith nearly jumped out of her skin as the PHS in the front pocket of her jacket went off. They released each other while Aerith swore under her breath and fished out the blasted device. She didn’t expect Yuffie on the other line, nor did she entirely believe what the other girl said. Now her heart raced for another reason.

“Everything alright?” Tifa asked as Aerith ended the call.

“Well, I don’t think Sephiroth is involved in this, so not as bad as it could be.”

Tifa poked at the screen, messing around with the final touches. “The boys up to no good?”

“But of course.”

“Sounds like they need our help.”

“As always.”

Aerith paused and look at the screen. Four images stacked on top of each other, starting with Aerith’s innocent kiss to a wide-eyed Tifa and ending in… well, at least there was a curtain to give them some privacy. Various flourishes blipped into view from cartoon hearts to fireworks to flowers, but Tifa lingered on the soft, pink haze blurring the focus. It reminded Aerith of still shots from a romance film.

“I like that one,” Aerith mentioned.

“Yeah,” Tifa murmured. “Me too.”

The photos printed out on a strip—one for each of them. Tifa scooped them up and handed one to Aerith.

“Something to remember,” Tifa said, “when we forget the good times.”

Aerith smoothed the glossy paper in her hands. The corner of her lips quirked up. “I don’t think I could ever forget, so long as you’re around.”

Tifa struggled to maintain eye contact. “You know what I mean.”

“Yeah, I know.” After a beat, Aerith fashioned a devious stare. “So, what’s a girl got to do for an encore performance, huh?”

Tifa laughed and Aerith joined her. They slipped out of the booth together, arms locked and faces glowing. Tifa might have never answered, but Aerith hoped it was sooner than later. Preferably after they dug the boys out of whatever mess they caused. Until then, their photo sat in Aerith’s jacket pocket—proof that she didn’t need to get by on daydreams. Not when she finally had the real thing.


End file.
